The winner, on Nov. 2, is the fossil fuel industry, in a landslide. It hit the trifecta.

On the international front, the fossil fuel suppliers (Russia, Saudi Arabia, Australia) and coal burners (China, India) lowball any attempt at decisive multilateral mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Biden’s emasculated and uncertain climate policies are too weak to lead the world in an effective counter-offensive.

On the national level, the repudiation of progressive Democratic overreach seems destined to further strengthen the hand of moderate Joe Manchin, the West Virginia champion of coal whose swing vote demands climate inaction.

Here in Maine and New England, the defeat of the clean energy corridor will delay the adoption of renewables. The fossil fuel industry bankrolled the “Yes” campaign for just this purpose.

Meanwhile, most of Maine’s environmental leadership fails to throw its weight behind the one federal policy essential to addressing climate change, a tax on the fossil fuel suppliers who pollute our air and atmosphere.

A red letter day for fossil fuels. A black day for planet Earth.

Michael Jones
Brunswick